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鰂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鰂zéicuttlefishx, 20 strokes, radical 魚
zéi(zei2)zei T2
  1. 1cuttlefish
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March 24, 2026

鰂zéi(zei2)

The character 鰂 (zéi) refers to cuttlefish, a type of marine animal known for its unique body structure and intelligence. Cuttlefish are often used in various culinary dishes, especially in coastal regions, and are known for their ability to change color and texture.

Strokes20Radical魚
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, cuttlefish is a popular ingredient, especially in dishes such as stir-fries and soups. It reflects the importance of seafood in coastal Chinese regions where fishing is a significant part of cultural heritage.

Memory tip

Imagine a cuttlefish swimming gracefully in the ocean, with its body resembling a 'Z' shape (for the 'z' in 'zéi'). The character 鰂 combines the fish radical 魚, indicating it's a type of fish, with the unique form of the cuttlefish.

Meanings of 鰂

zéi(zei2)
1cuttlefish
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 鰂

鰂Simplified
20Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鰂

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Podcast: 鰂

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AI study notes for 鰂

Usage Notes

This term is more commonly used in culinary contexts, especially in seafood dishes. Be mindful of the tone; 'zéi' has a falling tone which can change the meaning if mispronounced. It’s often found in phrases related to seafood or cooking.

HSK Study Tips

Though 鰂 is not an HSK word, understanding this character can enhance vocabulary related to seafood and cooking, which are often emphasized in HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on recognizing characters related to food as they often appear in daily conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鰂 with other seafood characters, such as 魚 (fish) or 墨魚 (squid). Ensure you remember that 鰂 specifically refers to cuttlefish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鰂

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Etymology of 鰂

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

fish

Semantic (meaning)鱼
+
Phonetic (sound)則
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

鰂 = 鱼 + 則. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 鰂

IDS Structure⿰魚則
鰂Full character
=
魚yu2
left
則ze2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 鰂?

How to say cuttlefish in Chinese

“cuttlefish” in Chinese is鰂zéi

The character 鰂 (zéi) refers to cuttlefish, a type of marine animal known for its unique body structure and intelligence. Cuttlefish are often used in various culinary dishes, especially in coastal regions, and are known for their ability to change color and texture.

When to use 鰂

This term is more commonly used in culinary contexts, especially in seafood dishes. Be mindful of the tone; 'zéi' has a falling tone which can change the meaning if mispronounced. It’s often found in phrases related to seafood or cooking.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鰂 with other seafood characters, such as 魚 (fish) or 墨魚 (squid). Ensure you remember that 鰂 specifically refers to cuttlefish.

Write 鰂

鰂

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Word Family of 鰂

Words containing this character1
鲗zéicuttlefish鰂
Exercise 1 of 1

Characters with 鰂

What does 鲗 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 鰂

Cuttlefish is commonly used in dishes like stir-fried cuttlefish with vegetables or in seafood soups.

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